Josepil de feakcisci



Oct. 8, 1929. J. DE FRANCISCI SAFETY IECHANISM FOR HYDRAULIC PRESSES Filed July 9, 1926 m VENTO R Jase 6E 365 427201365,

ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 8, 1929 UNITE STATES PATENT SAFETY MECHANISM FOR HYDRAULIC PEESSES Application filed July 9,

This invention is a safety mechanism for hydraulic presses, the same being useful, more particularly, in connection with presses of the character disclosed in my prior Patentv No.

1,502,021, patented July 22, 1924, wherein a master valve is employed for controlling the flow of liquid to and from the power cylinder for the actuation of the press plunger, and wherein there is used, also, a plurality of connected material-cylinders, the latter being reversible with respect to the power cylinder and its plunger, to the end that one materialcylinder may be charged with material at a r period when the plunger is working within another of said cylinders for the extrusion of material, such as macaroni.

It is desirable in the interest of precision in the control and operation of the material cylinders and of the power actuated plunger,

that means be provided for insuring the proper alinement of one or the other of the material cylinders with the power cylinder, and that such alinement shall take place prior 0 to the movement of the press plunger under the energy of the motive fluid supplied to the power cylinder, for the reason that a premature operation of the press plunger is liable to result in damage to parts of the press and possibly of injury to the attendant workman should he make an effort to stop or control the mechanism after it has started into operation.

According to my invention, a safety mechanism is associated with the reversible material-cylinders and with the master valve,

whereby the latter cannot be manually operated until such time as the material cylinder (one or the other) occupies a determined position in register with the power cylinder and with the extruding die.

Said safety mechanism includes, also, means whereby the premature downward movement of the extruding plunger is prevented, thus contributing the element of safety in the control of the press plunger.

1926. Serial No. 121,291.

Other functions and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein Figure l is an elevation, partly in section, of my invention shown applied to certain parts of my patented hydraulic press, the master valve and safety device being in normal position and with the press plunger raised.

Figure 2 is an elevation of the master valve with parts of the safety device positioned to permit the downstroke of the press plunger.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but with the parts shifted to a position wherein the flow of the motive fluid is directed to reverse the motion of the press plunger and to lift the latter.

Figure 4 is an elevation looking toward the right and from the left of Figure 2, showing parts of the master valve and parts of the safety device.

Figure 5 is a horizontal detail section on the line 55 of Figure 1 Figure 6 is a detail cross section on the line 6-6 of Figure 3 illustrating the shiftable weight for the master valve.

In order that my invention may be understood by others skilled in the art, I have illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings sul'licient parts of a hydraulic press as disclosed in my prior patent. As shown, A is a part of a power cylinder, B the plunger or ram, C is a part of a packing plunger, and D, D, the connected material cylinders. The lower part of the plunger or ram B protrudes below the power cylinder, and at the lower end, said plunger or ram is provided with a flange or collar, 2'), with which contacts a tripping lever E, pivoted on one of the press columns, F, said lever having a slot 6 through which loosely passes a vertical trip rod G. This trip rod extends downwardly and upwardly from the trip lever E, the lower end of said rod being pivotally attached to an arm, h,

of a lever, H, constituting the hand-operated member of a master valved by which the flow of the motive fluid is controlled. Said trip rod is shown as having two collars, g, g, the collar 9 being below the trip lever E for contact therewith on the ascent oi": the plunger or ram, the flange Z) of which contacts with said trip lever when the plunger or ram reaches the high point of its upward movement, whereby the lever E acts on the collar 9 for depressing the lever arm h, and thus operates the lever H for moving automatically the master valve to assume a neutral position indicated by the dotted line 00 in Figures 2 and 3, and as shown by full lines in Figure 1, the effect of which is to arrest the flow of the motive fluid to the power cylinder A, step ping the operation of the plunger or -ram un til. the master valve is again operated by hand. Theother collar, 9, of the trip rod is nositioned! above an angular or bell crank lever J, the latter being pivoted at the junction of the divergent arms of said lever. (-lne arm of'the bellcra-nk is slotted at for the free movement of the triprod through it, and to this slotted arm is attached a spring 3" the otherend ot which is anchored ata fixed point on the press frame. The hell 0 'ank is provided at the free end of its other arm with a bevel-faced. lug jtwith which co-operates a pivoted detent J, the latter-acting to retain theangular bell crank J in a fined position so that the spring j cannot pull said bell crank into engagement with the stop collar 9 at a time when the mastervalve is positioned for establishing the flow of the motive fluid: into the upper part of the power cylinder A. At this time, the master valve occupies the full ine position of Figure 2, indicated by the dotted line a1 in Figures 1 and 3, and said bell crank is locked in said 00 position duringthe power stroke of the plunger or ram under the pressure of the motive fluid admitted to the upper part of the power cylinder. As the ram approaches the lowerliinit of its travel within the power cylinder, a beveled face on the ram or plunger acts ona trip pin'J slidably fitted in the wall of power cylinder A, as disclosed more fully in my copending application Serial No. 51,564, filed! August 21, 19%; and said trip pin J is thus forcibly pressed against tl'ie bell' crank- J", releasing the lug'j from the detent J", whereby the lever J is released from the restraint of the detent, andthereupon-the spring j acts to pull upwardly on thebell crank J so that the slotted arnr acts on the stop col lar g. forlifting the tri'p rod G, the result ofl' which is toreverse the master valve I by the-downward motion of the plunger or ram; Said mastervalve is thus reversed automatically fromthe'dotted line position m to the dotted line position az diverting the flow, of the motive fluid from the upper part ofthepower-cylinderinto the lower part of the same cylinder, and thus the for the shiftable wei ht K see Figures 1 9 fluid admitted to said lower part of the power cylinder acts therein to move the plunger or ram in an upward direction, and at an increased speed as compared with the speed of the downward travel of the plunger or ram.

The master valve embodies a casing and a rotatable plug substantially as disclosed in my aforesaid Patent No. 1,502,021, together with stopping means for arresting the rotatable movement of said plug. With said master valve is associated a feed pipe i for the inflow of motive fluid from a suitable pumping mechanism (not shown), and a return pipe '5 which when the master valve is in a neutral position (as in Figure 1) provides for the return of the motive fluid from valve to pump without passing to the power cylinder, said pipe 2" providing also for the return of the motive fluid after the same shall have been utilized in the power cylinder A. In addition to the described feed pipe i and the return pipe 2, there is associated with themaster valve two other pipes 2' the former leading from the master valve to; the upper part of'the power cylinder, whereas the latter pipe 2' leads from the master valve to the lower part of said power cylinder, seeF-igure 1', said master valve and the pipes i, 71, 2'", 7?, being arranged for service as disclosed insaid patent.

The lever H of the master valve is constructed for association with the safety mechanism and with a shiftable weight K, 3

throw or movement to the valve at'a time .ue function of which is to impart: a quick when the plunger or rain reaches the limit of its downstroke, audit is desired to efl'ect a quick reversal of the valve in order to divert the course of the motive fluid to the power cylinder, and thus automatically ell'ect the uptravel of the plunger or ram. To these ends, the lever H is'constructed with a platelilre member or quadrant, h, and with a slotted arm 7L2, the latter extending for a suitable distance outwardly from the axis of rotation oi? the valve plug. The slotted arm k 01' the valve lever is in the form of a guide or cage 7 3 and 6, from which it appears that the weight is provided with a circumferential groove, is, and that the upper and lower mem bers of the cage-like arm 75 are fitted in said groove loosely in order that the weight may roll toward or from the axis o1 the valveaccording to-the inclination of the arm If; hus

as the valve lever is being turned to the upwardly inclined position oi Figure 2 bypressure of the hand downwardly on the lever arm h, the weight K rolls inwardly of the arm and toward the axis of the valve; but when the lever H'is reversed bythe upward pull on the arm 711 by the rodGr, and spring j, after the angular lever J is released-from the restraintofithe d'etent J, thenthe weight K rolls in an outward direction on lever arm 7&

and away from. the axis 0 motion of the valve, whereby the spring 'ravel into an upward ate around said column in order LO change the positions of the cylinders from a service position to a charging position, and vice versa. It will be understood that either material cylinder is adapted to be brought to a service position, wherein it registers or alines vith the power cylinder, and when one cylinder of the two is in such service position, the other cylinder of the two is in a charging position, below the packer plunge" C, see Figure 1,

whereby dough may be oeposited wit n the cylinder to be charged, and such 1,

compacted within the charging cylinder. The swinging or rotative movement of the connected cylinders D, D, the atiorded by one of the press columns, l rested by the contactwith the otl column, F, of curved arms 65 or (5, two e arms (Z extending outwardly from cyliulers D, D, at the upper ends thereof, wherea o other two arms vZ extend outwardly said cylinders, D, D, at the lower ends taereof, Figure 1. In reversin the in 7' cylinders, they are simply turned around .i one column l until the Y umn but in this connection it is to be noted that in the haste of setting the press into action the attendant workman may have tendency to the lever arm is actuate the master valve before the material cylndeu; shall have come to a full stop and prior 0 the necessary alinement or register of the tilled cylinder with the power cylinder and L o l Enduinc *3 U. dct i rm'ned "1 i t of reversing; such cylinder, t end 1 have provided the following safety mechanism:

On the press frame A a latch, O, mounted for i, a suitable keeper or guide, 0, and each lower arm (3 of the cylinders D, D, is formed with a socket 0. 'l i, I when the arm 15 lite around the column F, as the cylinders D or D, registers with the power cylinder so 't t A, and with the extruding die mounted as usual in the die holder, B, is adapted to receive the lower end part of the latch Q in order to lock said cylinder in such alined relation with the power cylinder and the extruding die. When the connected cylinders are to be rev rsed, it is necessary for the attendant workman to first lift the latch out of the sociret 0 in one arm d, to thereafter reverse the cylinders D, D, and to again lower the latch into the socket of the other a in (5. For conveniently holding the latch in a raised position, and to allow the worlo man to use his two hands in swinging the cylinders D, D, l have provided a latch l'iolder, P, the same being shown as an angular le pivoted at 2) on the press frame and controlled by spring; 3), said lever having a beveled nose adapted to enter a notch 32 provided the upper part of the latch so as to lit beneath a shoulder provided by the notch. The operator simply lifts die latch U u ,ltil the nose p snaps into the notch 20, 0 rease the latch, the operator presses t" or P to withdraw the nose from the c which the latch may be lowered :lret 0 of an arm 0!, assuming are in proper position, e is in engagement with the ay rod extending; between the 1' .e master valve and the latch, O, rod being mounted for sliding nt in vertical direction, and within a dole guide, q, provided on the press rrinnc. At the upper end, said safety rod is attached to the latch for movement there with, such a chment being effected by an a 'm, 5/, extene g; outwardly from the latch, whereby the up and down movement of the i h is communicated to the safety rod, said 1, 1", affording a conven ent hand hold for .e operator in grosspin the rod or the latch eilect the vertical movement thereof. At

a fork or bifurcation, r, see Figures 1, 2 and particularly l e 4:, and in the branches legs of this for are provided notches 1", Figure l. The forked lower end of the safety the quadrant member h of rod straddles the lever ll'l associated with the master valve,

an d on this quadrant inc 'iber there are pins or studs c, which act are cogs to the movement ol' the leve fl and the valve 1, except wheu the material cylinders D, D, are in the required relzu to 11, power cylinder and the die, it Will be noted that ihe branches r of the forlred lower end of he rod Q straddle the cu drant h of the valve lever to present solid faces or edges to tl e studs 8 when the latch O and rod Q are in positions other than a predetermined position, and thus the forked end of the safety rod and the stuns coact precluding the movement of the quadrant 72- should the master valve be operthe lower end, the safety rod is. formed with ated either by hand or by the action of parts set into motion by the travel of the press plunger. The predetermined position referred to is when the latch O enters the soclret 0 provided in one or the other of the arms (5. With the cylinders D, D, in other than the required relation to the power cylinder and die, then the latch O and rod Q, will be either raised or lowered with respect to the determined position. If the latch O is held in a raised position by latch holder I then the rod Q is also lifted so that the notches r will not register with studs 8, the effect of which is to present solid edges of the fork r to the studs 8 and thus restrain the valve lever II and valve I from movement. Again, should the latch O and rod Q, be lowered with the material cylinders out of register with the power cylinder and the die, then the latch O and rod Q will drop down to again move the notches 7" out of register with the studs 8, and again the forked end of the rod Q will present solid edges to the stuns s to lock the lever H and valve I from the required movement. But assuming that the material cylinders are in registered relation to the power cylinder and the die, and that the arm cl is engaged properly around column ll, then the latch O can he dropped into the socket 0, the bottom of which determines the latent of the downward movement of the latch, and thus the safety rod is lowered to the desired extent for the notches r in the fork to register with the studs .9, and thereupon the quadrant h with the studs .9 can be moved, either by hand or by the power devices, to the end that the lever H and valve I may be operated as required, said studs 5 being free to travel in and through the notches r, as indicated in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

It is to be understood. that the safety device including rod Q and latch 0 permit the movement of lever H and valve I so long as the cylinders D, D, are in the required positions with reference to the power cylinder and the die, and also to the packing plunger C, but with the material cylinders out of position, then the latch O and rod Q co-operate to preclude movement of lever H, because the studs .9 will abut the-fork r or red Q. With the ma terial cylinders in proper positions, the studs 3 can move into and through notches r of the forked rod Q when the valve I is rocked by the hand operation of lever H or when said valve is shifted by the action of the trip rod G, or by the energy of weight K.

Although I have shown and described my invention in the safet-y'mechanism adapted for a vertical hydraulic press, it will be understood that said safetymechanism may be used in connection with presses the power cylinder and material cylinders of which are horizontally positioned.

Having thus fully described the invent-ion,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a press, the combination with an hydraulic motor, a master valve for controlling the flow of fluid thereto, and a material cylinder shiftable into and out of register with said hydraulic motor, of a safety mechanism operable to arrest the motion of said master valve when the charging cylinder is out of register with said hydraulic motor.

2. In a press, the combination with an hydraulic motor, a master valve for controlling the flow of fluid thereto, and. a material cylinder shiftable into and out of register with said hydraulic motor, of a safety mechanism including a member movable to an operative position when the material cylinder is in register with the motor and a second member controllable by the first member for locking and releasing said master valve.

3. In a press, the combination with an hydraulic motor, a master valve for controlling the flow of fluid thereto, and a material cylinder shiftable into and out of register with said hydraulic motor, of a safety mechanism including a latch movable into locking relation to the material cylinder when the latter is in register with the motor, and a safety rod controllable by said latch and co-operating with said master valve for locking and releasing the latter.

4. In a press, the combination with an hy cylinder, a member movable with said master valve, said member having a projection, and a rod operable by the latch and notched for co-operation with said projection.

5. In a press, the combination with an hydraulic motor, and a material cylinder shiftable relatively thereto, of a master valve for controlling the flow of a motive fluid to said motor, a latch co-operable with said material cylinder, a lever movable with the master valve, said lever being provided with a quadrant and with a stud, and a rod controllable by the latch, said rod having a forked and notched end portion which straddles said quadrant.

6. In a press, the combination with an hydraulic motor, and a material cylinder shiftable relatively thereto, of a master valve for controlling the flow of a motive fluid to said motor, a latch co-operable with said material cylinder, a lever movable with the master valve, and a rod co-operable with said latch and said lever for. restraining the master valve from movement until the latch reaches a determined position relatively to the material cylinder.

7 In a press, the combination with a motor including a plunger, and a material cylinder in shiftable relation to said motor plunger, of

a master valve cooperable with said motor for supplying fluid thereto, said master valve being provided with a safety member and with a runway extending outwardly from the safety member, a latch for locking the material cylinder in alined relation to tl e motor plunger, a moval ole safety member cooperable with the latch and with the safety member of said master valve for locking said valve against movement and for releasing said valve against restraint when said latch is eitfective in looking the i aterial cylinder in alined relation to the motor plunger, and gravity means movable in said runway and effective in accelerating the movement of the valve upon the action of the latch in locking the material cylinder in a working relation to th motor plunger.

8. In a press, the combination with a motor including a plunger, and a material cylinder movable into and out of alined relation to said motor plunger, of a hydraulic master valve connected for controlling the movement of said motor plunger, said master valve being provided with locking means and with iovemcnt-accelerating means, the latter being inactive when said valve-locking means is effective in restraining said valve from movement, plunger-actuated means for impartina movement to said hydraulic master valve, and means for locking the material cylinder and for actuating the valve-locking means whereby the valve is restrained from movement when the material cylinder is disalined with respect to the motor plunger, and when said material cylinder is locked the movement of the hydraulic master valve is effected by the plunger actuated means and is accelerated by the action on said valve of said movement-accelerating means.

9, In a press, the combination with a motor including a plunger, material cylinders shiftable relatively to said motor plunger, and a master valve connected with said motor, of latch means for locking and releasing said material cylinders, plunger operated means for reversing said master valve, means controllable by the latch means for locking said master valve against movement when either of said material cylinders is in a disalined relation to the motor plunger, and movement accelerating means cooperable with said master valve, said movement accelerating means being non effective when the valve is restrained by said locking means, and upon said valve being released and its operation initiated by the plunger actuated means, said valve movement is accelerated by said movement accelerating means.

10. In a press, a hydraulic motor including a plunger, a material cylinder shiitable with relation to said motor plunger, a master valve connected for controlling the motor plunger, said master valve being provided with a studded member, a latch for the mater-ial cylinder, plunger actuated means for controlling the master valve, and a valve latch controllable by the material-cylinderlatch, said valve latch being provided with a notched tori; positioned to straddle the studded valve member and operable by the first nan ed latch for the notch to register with the stud of said valve member to release the master valve, said valve latch being efiectire by a disalined relation of the notch to the valve stud in locking the master valve against movement under the action of said plunger operated means.

ll. In a press, the combination with a motor having a plunger, a hydraulic valve, and a mater al cylinder, of latching means including two iembers one of which mem bers locks the valve against movement when the other latch member is inactive in looking the material cylinder in alined relation to the motor plunger, plunger actuated means for controlling said master valve when free from the res raint 01 said valve latch memher, and means actuated by gravity when the valve latch member is shifted to release;

the valve for accelerating the valve motion initiated by time plunger-actuated means.

12. in a press, the combination with a motor including a plunger, a material cylinder shiftable relatively to said motor plunger,

and a master valve connected with said motor, master valve being provided with a valve mg element and with a runway, of double latching means one member of which coacts with said valve locking element for locking said valve against movement when another member of said double locking means is in a releasing position relatively to the material cylinder, and gravity means slidable in said runway and operable when the valve is free from tne restraint of said double locking means for accelerating the valve motion.

'3. In a press, the combination with a shiftable material cylinder, and a master hers one operable with the cylinder for looking the same in a determined position and the other member cooper-able with said master valve for restraining it from movement upon the release of said material cylinder, means for controlling said master valve, and means associated directly with said master valve and operable on the release of said valve from the restraint of said locking means for accelerating the valve motion initiated by said e, of locking means including two mom rant and the stud thereof, fluid means for controlling the movement of the master valve, and gravity accelerating means slidable on the runway and restrained from movement- When the valve is locked by the notched fork in cooperation with said studded quadrant, said gravity accelerating means being effective in imparting a quick movement to the master valve When released from the forked 73 member of said locking means.

In testimony whereof I have hereto signed my name this 7th day of J uly, 1926.

JOSEPH DE FRANCISCI. 

